All Aboard
by Roselilia
Summary: Kuroko is suffering from seasickness and a stranger helps him. AkaKuro. Au.


Edited by the one and only wonderful AokazuSei

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Kuroko stumbled outside, his unsteady feet nearly tripping over each other as his arms hugged his midsection. His normally pale cheeks were even paler and tinged with green. The large cruise ship he was on rocked to and fro, and Kuroko couldn't help but think that this was a bad idea.

He was on a business trip, and there had been two choices: taking an airplane or taking a ship. And it had been Kagami, his first hint that it was a bad idea, to suggest taking the cruise ship as Kuroko had never done so before.

He was going to murder Kagami when he got back, Kuroko decided as he reached the railings and stared down at the grey blue water rolling dangerously, making his stomach flip. He had hoped that if he had fresh air he would feel better, but that was turning out to be an even worse idea.

Kuroko moaned slightly, feeling bile in his throat, and he closed his eyes, taking deep shaky breathes of the salty air, hoping to calm his stomach.

Yes, Kagami was going to pay for this.

"First time on a ship?" An amused silky deep voice asked, and Kuroko turned his head to see a man staring at him with heterochromatic eyes, a smirk on his lips, his short blood red hair flying about with the wind. He wore a sharp business suit which probably meant he too, like Kuroko, was on a business trip.

"Yes." Kuroko said shortly as he tried to compose himself but failing miserably.

"Here, try sitting down." The man placed his hand on Kuroko who was feeling too ill to pull away, forcing him to sit down. "Put your head between your knees."

Kuroko did what the man said, closing his eyes and wrapping his hands over bent knees, finding that he did feel marginally better. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around his shoulders, and the stranger pulled him over, so he was leaning into him in an overly familiar way.

Kuroko was about to pull away since he didn't like being touched, and by a stranger no less, but then a sharp scent of cinnamon, eluded from the man, met his nose, chasing away the bitter salty air that made him lightheaded. The man's warmth seeped into his side, warming him as well, and Kuroko found himself actually fighting himself to move closer to the complete stranger.

"My name is Akashi Seijuro." The red haired man introduced, but Kuroko couldn't even find the strength to properly greet him with open eyes and a proper handshake.

"Kuroko Tetsuya." He replied softly.

"Well, Tetsuya," This stranger was strangely familiar with him, almost overly arrogant in a way, but Kuroko found himself unwilling to care at the moment. "I have some medicine back in my cabin that I can give you. It should help with your seasickness."

"No," Kuroko said rather quickly when the man started to get up, grabbing onto his arm with a shaky hand. The man paused where he stood. "Just...Stay with me for now."

The man made him feel better, and he felt that if Akashi left him, even for a few minutes, the sickness would come back, and right now, he was willing to do anything to prevent that.

"Alright then, Tetsuya." Akashi said with obvious amusement, rolling his tongue around Kuroko's name, practically purring it. Kuroko felt himself shiver despite the warmth that Akashi was transferring into him.

"Why did you help me?" Kuroko asked curiously, and Akashi chuckled as if he had told a humorous joke.

"How could I resist helping a maiden in distress?" Akashi asked, and Kuroko felt himself bristle.

"I am NOT a maiden in distress." He growled out, and he was beginning to reconsider accepting the man's help.

"No, no of course not, but I couldn't leave someone such as you hanging onto that railing in such a state. Not in good conscious, of course." Akashi said humbly, and Kuroko opened one of his eyes slightly, giving Akashi a once over and saw that the redhead really did looking sincerely concerned.

"Well, you have my thanks then." Kuroko said, and he saw Akashi incline his head good-naturedly before his eye slipped closed once more. "Have you traveled by ship before?"

"Oh yes, but I used to get terrible seasickness as well, so I had to take medicine." Akashi said, and Kuroko nodded slightly.

"So that's how you knew what to do." Kuroko said.

"Yes." Akashi said, and Kuroko gasped when he was suddenly dragged into Akashi's, who was still mainly a stranger, lap, and he immediately began to struggle.

"Release me!" Kuroko demanded, his cheeks heating up, and Akashi kept him still with strong arms, pinning his body against his chest.

"Just relax, trust me." Akashi said in a soothing voice, and Kuroko struggled half-heartedly some more before giving up and slumping against him.

"I'm uncomfortable. I don't like this." Kuroko said bluntly, and Akashi chuckled as he shifted Kuroko, so his head was pressed against his heart, the organ beating steadily against his ear.

"Close your eyes." Akashi ordered, and Kuroko gave him a dubious look, but after a stare down between the two of them, Kuroko eventually did as he was told. "By the way, are you by chance, Kuroko Tetsuya, of Seirin Corporation?"

"Yes, have we met before?" Kuroko asked, not opening his eyes, finding the heartbeat by his ear soothing, and all traces of his illness seemed to dissipate.

"No, I've just heard of you." Akashi said, and Kuroko could have sworn there was some amusement in his voice, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. With the warmth surrounding him, the heartbeat pounding against his ear, the scent of cinnamon in flooding his senses, Kuroko found himself lulled to sleep.

When he next woke up, he was back in his cabin, tucking into bed. He immediately sat up and checked himself over, berating himself at allowing himself to be so vulnerable with a stranger.

Luckily, nothing was amiss, and he found himself blushing when he remembered how close he had been to the stranger. He wished he hadn't fallen asleep. He could have at least thanked Akashi, who was probably long gone, mixed into the crowd of hundreds of strangers also aboard the ship. Finding him again would probably be impossible.

Kuroko rubbed his face, feeling the rocking of the ship once more, the feeling of illness returning again, and he turned to get up and noticed a bottle and a card on the night table.

The bottle turned out to be medicine for seasickness, presumably courtesy of Akashi. Kuroko quickly took a swig of the bitter liquid, grimacing slightly at the after taste. As he waited for the medicine to kick in, Kuroko took the card that had beautifully written cursive writing written in red ink.

_Akashi Seijuro_

_President of Rakuzan Corporation_

Kuroko chuckled huskily as he recognized the company name, it was the same corporation he was going to meet, the entire reason for the business trip.

"Well, Akashi Seijuro, something tells me it's going to be a pleasure doing business with you."


End file.
